Player ratings as Alessia Russo nets dramatic late winner

From the Emirates Stadium: Manchester United ended Arsenal’s perfect start to the season to reaffirm their status as WSL title contenders with a breathless 3-2 comeback victory at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

United had been on course to suffer a second successive defeat to a fellow big four side following their 3-1 loss to Chelsea last time out. They trailed 2-1 with six minutes remaining after goals from Frida Maanum and Laura Wienroither had overturned Ella Toone’s first half opener.

But Millie Turner levelled in the 85th minute, before Alessia Russo headed home a dramatic winner in stoppage time to move the Red Devils back level on points with Arsenal at the WSL summit.

Despite being roared on by a partisan home crowd in north London, it was United who started brighter, the lively Leah Galton forcing Manuela Zinsberger into a stretching save after Russo had pinched possession deep inside the Arsenal half inside seven minutes.

Jordan Nobbs, more accustomed to having an impact at the opposite end of the pitch, was on hand to block a goal-bound Nikita Parris effort over the bar following a flowing United move, as the visitors continued to look the most likely side to open the scoring.

The breakthrough did come six minutes before half time. Hayley Ladd provided the surging overlap and deep cross, Zinsberger failed to claim the cross, and Toone arrived late at the back post to side foot volley home and give United a deserved first half lead.

Having hardly had a sniff of goal in the first period, the second was less than a minute old when Arsenal levelled the scores. Maanum picked up a loose ball inside her own half, surged at the retreating United backline and saw her low effort find the back of the net via a huge deflection off the unfortunate Maya Le Tissier.

Having turned in a much improved second half performance, Arsenal took the lead with 18 minutes remaining. Katie McCabe sent in a teasing cross from deep and Wienroither ghosted in at the back post to power home a sweetly-struck volley.

United had hardly threatened in the second 45, but drew level five minutes from time through Turner. The centre back rose highest to head Katie Zelem’s wicked set piece delivery in off the underside of the bar.

Buoyed by their leveller, United went in search of the winner, but were twice denied by a pair of superb Zinsberger saves in quick succession. The Arsenal keeper got down low to deny Lucia Garcia from point blank range, before stretching to keep out a Martha…